The Loss of a Life Partner – Narratives of the Bereaved
Author(s): Carolyn Ambler Walter (Author)
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication Date: 18 Mar. 2003
Language: English
Print length: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 0231119682
ISBN-13: 9780231119689
Book Description
Although there is extensive research on the loss of a spouse, predominantly focusing on the experiences of widows, much less attention is paid to bereaved partners not married to their significant other, whether or not the partners are of the same sex. This first-of-its-kind work explores both socially sanctioned and disenfranchised grief, highlighting similarities and differences. Combining a discussion of various theories of grief with personal narratives of grieving men and women drawn from numerous interviews, and detailed case study analysis, Carolyn Ambler Walter has produced a penetrating examination of the bereavement experiences of partners in varying types of relationships. She views narratives of widows, widowers, and bereaved domestic gay and lesbian partners from a postmodern perspective that breaks away from the traditional belief that the living must detach themselves from the dead in order to move on with their lives. Instead, building on the works of postmodern grief theorists such as Klass, Silverman, and Nickman, Walter views ongoing bonds with the dead as a resource for enriching functionality in the present, and as a key to looking to the future.
Editorial Reviews
Review
First of its kind…psychologists and counselors can benefit from this book.–Canadian Social Work
Walter offers 22 stories of individuals whose life partner died, presenting them against a tapestry of bereavement theories and issues. The widows and widowers describe the challenges of reframing their identity and life; particularly powerful are narratives and experiences of gay men and lesbians, because as disenfranchised grievers they lack the access to the legal benefits, supports, and social rituals of mourning… The captivating struggle of grief involves a crisis in meaning as bereavement shatters assumptions, support systems, coupled identity, and patterns of life.–Choice
Walter’s book is well written, accessible and compassionate and certainly extends our understanding of the experiences and needs of bereaved partners.–Carole Smith “Journal of Social Work “
Well structured and accessible to both lay and professional readers.–Christine Valentine “Mortality “
About the Author
Carolyn Ambler Walter, Ph.D., LCSW, is a professor at the Center for Social Work Education at Widener University, Chester, PA, and maintains a private clinical social work practice. Dr. Walter is co-author of Breast Cancer in the Life Course: Women’s Experiences, and is the author of The Timing of Motherhood.
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